Troubling Times

Maybe it's because it is also the name of my home state - but I am disturbed by the headlines these days about tanks moving into Georgia. It immediately grabs my attention and I cannot seem to ignore the issue in the way that I might ignore the headlines of another Britney Spears or J-Lo story.

It could be because I seem to remember the Republic of Georgia being adopted as a sister state by the U.S. Georgia back when we were still celebrating the new found freedom of these republics.

Now I am saddened and disturbed by news that Russia is flexing her muscles at the expense of this little sovereign country.

It doesn't help that I read a story from Fox-News reporting Russian-backed troops near the Inguri River, were joking that retreating Georgian troops' had received "American training in running away."
{As I complete this post on Saturday, it seems another cease-fire is being signed.}

I wish I had said it first - but there is something very "1939 -ish" about these times. New alliances are emerging around the world, a great deal of "saber-rattling" is going on, and people seem to be buying into propaganda - it's just an ominous feeling.

I am not sure what should be done. I do know that I feel more comfortable with George W. Bush at the helm, than I would with any of his would-be-replacements. One thing about President Bush - he is a man of commitment and has proven that he will stick to a job until it is finished. He doesn't wait for focus group reports before he makes decisions. His low standing in the polls right now is testimony to the fact that he does not choose the route of political expediency. It is a quality of leadership that will be sorely missed when he leaves office.

I know something else: evil is relentless.

That's a lesson we should hold in front of our eyes continually.

The evil pursuits of what Reagan called the "evil empire" appeared to be forever put away. Now we see in this recent act of aggression, that evil was not destroyed - it had only suffered a major defeat. So it seemed to go away, licking it's wounds.

In just a short twenty years, we see it emerging from the shadows like some intergalactic deathstar. Flaunting all the diplomatic "talk", it begins to move about leaving destruction in it's wake, gobbling up anything that bears the trappings of independence.

Freedom is a precious commodity: whether it is being defended here in our nation against the constant malignancy of incremental-ism, or whether it is being threatened around the world. It must be constantly guarded.

This lesson is important to our spiritual health too. Christians face a constant onslaught of evil aimed at destroying the freedom we have in Christ. It's relentless and we must remain diligent in defending ourselves and our families.

It's comforting to me to remember that God is my defender; it is not my own strength that will defeat evil - but rather His. I have but to run to Him.

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble; May the name of the God of Jacob defend you; Psalm 20:1 NKJV

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved."